| Source Type | Examples | Legality | Safety | Cost | |--------------|----------|----------|--------|------| | Official e-book stores | Amazon Kindle, Google Play Books, Kinoppy (Japan) | ✅ Legal | Safe | ¥2,000–¥3,000 (~$15–$22 USD) | | Publisher’s digital platform | 3A Network’s e-Learning, OTO Navi (Genki) | ✅ Legal | Safe | Free with book purchase | | Library e-lending | OverDrive (select libraries), Japan Foundation Library | ✅ Legal | Safe | Free (with library card) | | File-sharing sites (pirate) | Scribd (user-uploaded), PDF Drive, z-library | ❌ Illegal | Risky (malware) | Free |
The original 1992 version by Shinobu Suzuki is available for digital borrowing and viewing on the Internet Archive .
If you open a copy of Nihongo Shoho , you will notice:
